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The Cubs have signed left-hander Brian Matusz to a minor-league contract, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Matusz will report to Triple-A Iowa, where he will be given the opportunity to start.
Matusz, 29, appeared in seven games for the Orioles this season before being traded to and immediately released by the Braves in late May. The southpaw allowed eight earned runs in just six innings in his last season with Baltimore, causing the team to part ways with him after eight seasons.
The Cubs have a solid rotation of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey and Jason Hammel, so Matusz will likely just serve as a depth option in case of injury. Matusz has not made a major-league start since the 2012 season, but is hoping to re-make himself as a rotation option during the second half of this season.
In eight years with the O's, Matusz posted a 27-41 record and 4.85 ERA in 279 appearances (68 starts). His performance as a reliever (3.47 ERA in 171 IP) has been much stronger than his performance as a starter (5.51 ERA in 354.2 IP).